Choo Choo Train Project

Reviews (7)

• Review from the Spring 2024 Early Education Survey

  May 2024

  REVIEW: Choo Choo is magical, full stop. My daughter (3) loves everything about it - the teachers, all the projects and songs. The care and thought that Ms Ela and her incredible team of teachers - including Luiko, Katsura, Curtis, Andrea, Wes - put into the kids' daily activities is astounding. From pasta making to song writing to gardening to woodworking, these kids explore it all. The backyard is fantastic and my daughter loves running around out there. The location is admittedly dismal but don't let it deter you. It is fully forgotten the moment you cross the threshold. The community among the parents is fun and supportive. More than one parent in the school has joked that they would have more kids just so they can send them to Choo Choo and stay a part of the community. Take note: if it's important to you that preschool look like kindergarten, that your kiddo be seated and drilling letters and numbers, this is not the place for you. If you're looking for a place where imagination reigns and the joys and adventure of childhood are valued above all else, you should definitely consider Choo Choo.; Amenities: Has outdoor space, Has after-school options; What would you change? I wish there was more coverage during July and August but there are plenty of camps around the neighborhood that fill the gaps

• Creative nursery school Choo Choo Train Project for 2-5 year old (#schoolrecommendation)

  August 2022

  As my 4 year old son’s school year at Choo Choo Train project comes to the end (due to our family's change), I’d like to share this magical place to more park slope family who are searching for a creative and wholesome school where every type of kid will thrive. Please do not hesitate to call or email Ms Ela for any question or interest. Website: https://www.choochootrainproject.com/index.html Phone: (718) 797-9050 Email: contact@choochootrainproject.com Choo Choo Train is the best place my kid could have been to besides home. Sometimes I think it’s even better than home. It’s magical - it’s like the school version of Disneyland!! Kids get to explore new things that any adult would feel intrigued about and they can get as messy as they want!! (Thanks to the extremely spacious backyard garden that’s full of nature’s beauty and imaginative setups) Even though there’re schools also giving kids fun activities & projects, but none is comparable to this level of creativity and imagination. These kids are inspired to think intelligently, kindly, and freely. Before joining Choo Choo Train, my son had problem with speech and communication and had to see therapist. After a few months here, we saw he opened his heart and became a very talkative fellow. With teachers’ persistent encouragement and genuine love, his limited vocabulary didn’t restrain he to feel accepted, understood, and confident the same way other kids do. In Choo Choo Train, the teachers and principle are passionate and talented educators/creators/a child’s genuine friends. Every kid here has an interesting character, good manner, and unique talent that inspire each other everyday. I couldn’t recommend more about this child haven!!

• summer camp openings at choo choo

  August 2022

  ms ela from choo choo train project on court street has a few openings for summer camp. she’s extending her welcome to 1st and 2nd graders, as well as the usual pre-k and k children. our daughter went there for 4 summers, and loved it. with its lush green grass back yard, choo choo is truly an oasis and one of brooklyn’s best kept secrets. on a typical day, the children harvest sunflowers from the garden, then paint watercolor studies of the sunflowers, while listening to jazz music, after some time, i realized choo choo is not a daycare so much as an art school. if your child likes art in a peaceful environment, (and what kid does not), this might be a match for the summer. it’s a little off the beaten path, but completely worth the commute.

• Review for Choo Choo Train Project

  April 2017

  When people ask me where my son goes to preschool, I often reply, “Little kid heaven—Choo Choo Train Project.” And I’m not kidding. The moment you walk into Choo Choo Train Project a wave of curiosity washes over you. While the school may be located in an odd location, what happens inside is truly magic. The amount of intellectual and artistic inspiration is boundless, and it’s simply tons of fun for the kids. The director, Ela, once said that she didn’t believe in the impossible, that children in this age group could learn and explore anything and everything imaginable. Well, with the help of her amazing staff, she truly makes this happen—anything and everything become possible at Choo Choo School. From painting, sculpting, designing, printing, weaving, and songwriting, to doing experiments, investigating the human body and learning about outer space—it all happens. Choo Choo also has a beautiful garden where the kids explore and play, and there is always a music teacher and art teacher at the school, which leads to limitless creativity. Every Sunday my husband and I get excited when the weekly newsletter arrives in our inbox. This detailed account of the week’s events, chock-full of photos and quotes from all the kids, gives us a great platform to add on to any discussions that we’ve had with our son that week. The strong sense of community that is fostered in the classroom extends to the Choo Choo families. Honestly, the only complaint that I have is that there isn’t an elementary school that embodies the model of teaching and learning that happens at Choo Choo Train Project—it’s simply a great place to be!

• Review Submitted via 2014-2015 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  August 2015

  Length of time: full days, 5 days/week Child’s Age: 2-3 years3-4 years4-5 years Type of facility: Privately run daycare/preschool with multiple classes and teachers REVIEW: Thanks for asking me about the preschool, Choo Choo Train Project. Our daughter went there for two years, and is currently attending their Summer Camp. When I was looking for a preschool for my daughter, I visited many places, and once I saw Choo Choo Train, I stopped looking. The school is run by Ms. Ela, a wonderful educator, and is loosely structured on the Reggio Emilia approach. Much of the learning happens through creating artwork and stories, and collaboration is encouraged at an early age. The teachers are all excellent, and have specialized backgrounds in Music, Theater, Writing, etc... A typical activity at Choo Choo might involve going outside to the large back yard, and with a magnifying glass and sketchbook in hand, examining a sunflower. Once inside, the children may use watercolors to paint the flowers. The kids are taught about nature, the solar system, Shakespeare, and so many other things that you would never believe would be taught to 3 and 4 year olds, and the kids LOVE it! Would you recommend? Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• Review from the 2014 Daycare/Preschool Survey

  August 2015

  Review from the 2014 Daycare/Preschool Survey Comment: Program: Pre-K Length of Time: FT Child's Age: 3-4 years Review: Ms. Ela, the head teacher and founder of Choochoo Train is a gifted, insightful, and naturally warm educator. She is handpicking her staff to have similar qualities as well as specific knowledge about the areas of education that Choochoo focuses on: Art, theater, music, math and science. Both of my kids are always talking about the Choochoo Teachers. The facility is spacious and carefully furnished and decorated, the children have a garden to play and do gardening activities. The school is a full time program - form 8AM to 3PM, mo-fri. Choochoos unwavering commitment to the children's social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and creative development is manifested in their activities, but also in tracking the children's progress. There are parent-teacher conferences twice per year and the parents get written progress reports during the school year as well. Since the class is small (25 kids) and there are many adults around (4-5 at all times) the children get a lot of individual attention. Should difficult situations arise, the are vein addressed in a gentle manner and I have seen Ms Ela and her team work so beautifully with children that behavioral issues were minimized or almost forgotten about during the course of the school year as all kids were so busy and engaged in their activities and explorations. I cannot recommend Choochoo more, it's an outstanding experience and has been for my 2 children. Recommend (Hi/Rec/DoNot): Highly recommend Would you send your child again? Absolutely

• 10-Mar-2013

  August 2015

  Recommended by PSP Member without review